


Phantom Thieves at Work

by SaturnsFanficHell



Category: Persona 5, はたらく細胞 | Hataraku Saibou | Cells at Work! (Anime), はたらく細胞 | Hataraku Saibou | Cells at Work! (Manga)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Human, Alternate Universe - Persona, Gen, and this is the result, i apologize if anyone is ooc, i fell into cell hell and persona hell at the same time, this is one of those aus where you think "there's no way that those two fandoms will work together"
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-12
Updated: 2018-11-12
Packaged: 2019-08-22 21:10:35
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,787
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16605509
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SaturnsFanficHell/pseuds/SaturnsFanficHell
Summary: Iishiro is a Phantom Thief.That, by itself, is a hard enough secret to keep.It got even harder when a certain transfer student who gets lost a lot accidentally stumbled into the Metaverse.





	Phantom Thieves at Work

**Author's Note:**

> AE3803 as Reimi Akegawa  
> AA5100 as Eiko Akatsuki (mentioned)  
> U-1146 as Iishiro Shirosaki  
> U-2048 as Shiba Shiraoka  
> U-2626 as Futaro Shirayuri  
> U-4989 as Hakyuu "Haku" Shirota  
> Macrophage as Hanae Shiromura  
> Dendritic Cell as Daiki Kimura
> 
> Author's Note: Once again, I'm sorry if anyone seems OOC, this is my first time writing these characters and posting it on a public platform, so I probably need more practice with it.  
> I'm not sure how many chapters this fic is going to have. Probably three, but then I'd have to move between scenes quickly, and I really want to include the beginning of a certain social link and a visit to a certain place, so we'll see about that.  
> Credits for the names of the RBC's and WBC's go to lunchtimerushin on tumblr ( http://lunchtimerushin.tumblr.com/hataraku-saibou-names )  
> I might end up drawing something for this AU, if that's the case, I'll most likely put it up on my general art tumblr ( https://samsgarbagedump.tumblr.com )  
> Using "not rated" because I'm honestly not sure how to rate this fic

**_23/05 – Early Morning, Shinjuku_ **

„Where is it?!“, Reimi was panicking, swiping all over the map's red background, trying to find one specific name. „ _Mimi, you're using Google maps, for crying out loud!_ “, Eiko sighed over the speaker, „ _Did you **seriously** get lost on your **first day** at this school?!“_ „Oh, hush you! You know I suck at directions!“, Reimi whined, swiping all over the map. At this point, she was just confusing herself. She could practically hear her _senpai_ facepalming on the other line. „ _Okay, let's back it up a bit“_ , Eiko said, muffled by the palm that met her face a few seconds ago, _„Where are you right now?“_

Reimi looked around, before leaning into the phone again. „Um, either Shinjuku or _Hara_ juku“, she said, pausing to look at the sign, „No, wait, it's Shinjuku, I was right.“ Silence reigned. _„Akegawa, how the **hell**  did you end up in Shinjuku?“_, Eiko asked from the other line, stunned. Reimi tried to respond, but Eiko cut her off before she even said anything. „ _Wait, I know, stupid question“_ , Eiko sighed, _„Okay, go to the train that goes the other way, get out when you get Shibuya, and then take the Ginza line. I can wait for you at the Aoyama-Itchome station if you'd like“_ , she offered. „No, I promised myself I'd get there without any help, I can do this!“, Reimi insisted. She could hear her _senpai_ sigh on the other end. „ _Alright, but I'll tell the homeroom teacher of your class to wait for you, okay?_ “, she said before hanging up.

Reimi was now left completely on her own. Armed with nothing but Google Maps, a Shujin uniform and a few names she kept repeating to herself. The red-headed girl walked around the station, trying to find the Shinjuku-Shibuya line. She silently cursed under her breath. „ _Great job, Reimi, getting lost on your first day at this new school!“_ , she muttered, staring at her phone, trusting it to guide her way, „ _You live in Shibuya, for crying out loud! How did you get on the Shinjuku line in the first place?!“_ Reimi was now engrossed in her own thoughts, so much so that she hadn't noticed that there was someone in front of her. Only when she bumped into someone and stumbled backwards, falling flat on her butt did she notice.

„Ah, I'm sorry, miss, are you alright?“

Reimi looked up. In front of her was a tall, but muscular young man. He looked to be about her age, maybe a year older or younger. His skin was very pale, almost completely white. His hair even matched it, what, with it being a _very_ pale blonde, almost looking bleached. His hair was covering his right eye, but judging by the one that was uncovered, his eyes were dark brown, almost completely black, and rounded in shape. He was leaning down, holding his pale hand out to Reimi to help her stand.

Reimi took his hand, and the boy gently pulled her up. „O-oh, no, I should be apologizing!“, Reimi finally broke the silence between them, „I-I wasn't looking where I was going and—„ she then noticed that the boy was wearing a school uniform which was _very_ familiar to her. A black blazer, underneath which was a high-collar shirt with an upwards pointed arrow on the side. The boy also wore plaid-pattered pants, which were in many shades of red. The overcoat was buttoned up with bright red buttons, and over his heart was the crest of Shujin Academy.

„H-hold on! Y-you go to Shujin, too?“, Reimi asked, pointing to the same crest over her own heart, on the black blazer that looked nearly identical to the boy's. „I- Ah, yes, I do“, the boy replied, now almost cracking a smile, „Would you like to go together?“ „W-well, only if I'm not being a bother!“, Reimi rubbed the back of her head. „Don't worry, you're fine, miss...“, the boy gestured with his hand towards her. „A-ah! I'm Akegawa Reimi“, she introduced herself with a bow, „It's nice to meet you, uh...“ „Shirosaki Iishiro. Pleased to meet you“, he nodded towards her, „I haven't seen you around, are you a new student?“

„Ah, yes! My family moved here from Inaba last week“, Reimi replied, „I was introduced to this school because of a friend of mine. She's also a year ahead of me.“ Reimi smiled. „Speaking of, what year are you, Shirosaki-san?“, she asked, curious. „Ah, second year“, Iishiro replied, before waving his hand in a dismissive manner, „And please, call me Iishiro, Akegawa-san.“ Reimi smiled at him. „We're the same year, then“, she then puffed her cheeks out at him, „And if you want me to address you without honorifics, then do the same for me, 'kay?“ Iishiro chuckled. „Of course, Reimi“, he said, smiling.

Eventually, their train arrived. Somehow, the two managed to nab free seats, though, thanks to the train being as crowded as ever during morning rush hour, the two students had to stay huddled together for a while. „So, Reimi“, Iishiro broke the silence, „I hope you don't mind me asking, but where do you live?“ „Ah, I live in Shibuya“, she replied, smiling. Silence reigned. Iishiro looked at her like she'd told him something surprising. „...How did you—„, Iishiro tried to ask, but was cut off by the station alert announcing that they'd be in Shibuya soon. „Ah, that's our stop, we should probably go“, he said, standing up. Reimi obliged and stood up after him.

The two stepped onto the train to Aoyama-Itchome, the route that Reimi was _supposed to_ use to get to school. Alas, fate had other plans. She looked over at Iishiro. He seemed to have read something he didn't like on his phone, because he muttered „Damn“ under his breath. „What's the matter, Iishiro?“, she asked, tilting her head. „Nothing, I just read that a brief shower came down not too long ago“, Iishiro sighed, putting his phone away, before turning to face her again, „You... Wouldn't happen to have an umbrella on you, would you?“ Reimi shook her head. „No, I was just as clueless as you were“, she replied.

They eventually arrived in Aoyama-Itchome, and once they were out of the train, they ran as fast as their legs carried them to school. The rain came down so suddenly, so neither had had the chance to prepare for it. The two eventually made it into the school building. „Thanks again for walking to school with me“, Reimi said, panting. „I already told you, it was no trouble“, Iishiro replied, squeezing the extra moisture out of his sleeves. Reimi rummaged through her bag. „Hold on“, she muttered, before pulling out a pack of tissues. „Here, you need something to wipe the water off with, right?“, she asked, smiling. Iishiro stared at her for a few seconds. „O-of course“, he yielded, taking a single tissue and pressing it against his wet hair. „Anyways, I should go to the faculty office“, Reimi paused, „Um... Which way is it...?“

**_23/05—Morning, Aoyama-Itchome_ **

Iishiro made his way over to his seat, his clothes still wet from running in the rain. He sighed, setting his books on the table. Once he got himself settled in, he looked out the window. The rain was pouring, thick droplets of water crashing against the windows like fragile bullets. Iishiro was thankful that he and Reimi managed to run inside before it got this bad. _Reimi._ Of course, she's a new student here. He walked her to the faculty office, and he still managed to get to class before homeroom started. Of course, he can't expect the poor girl to know every nook and cranny of Tokyo after _literally just moving here._

Hell, he's gotten lost a bunch of times when he first came to Tokyo, too!

His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of the classroom door opening, and the sound of high heels clicking against the wooden floor, as the individual wearing them moved gracefully into the room. Ms Shiromura, Iishiro's homeroom teacher, had the same smile on her face just like any other day, patient and kind, almost motherly.

_Hanae Shiromura || Iishiro's homeroom teacher, aged 43. Ms Shiromura is not only a homeroom teacher of class 2-2, she is also a foreign language teacher, as well as the former home ec teacher. Ms Shiromura is a graceful and elegant woman, as well as kind and caring like a mother. It is because of this that she was dubbed „The Queen of Shujin Academy.“_

_Confidant: homeroom teacher; Rank 3; Empress_

„Settle down, class!“, Ms Shiromura announced with a smile, „I'd like to introduce a new student to you all!“ Iishiro's interest was piqued. _A new student. Shujin hardly gets any of those._ Come to think of it, Reimi said she's a new student at Shujin. That's when a _ding_ went off in Iishiro's head. _Wait... Could it be...?_ Iishiro watched Ms Shiromura look over to the open door, and say „You may come in now!“

A girl passed through the classroom door. She looked to be a bit shorter than Iishiro, about the same height as Ms Shiromura. A bright, warm smile spread across her thin lips, as she bowed, greeting the rest of the class. Her hair was bright red, and cut to fall _just_ below her jawline. On the right side of her head, one of the strands of her hair stuck out in a crescent shape. She had golden-yellow eyes, rounded in shape. „Hello, I'm Reimi Akegawa, it's nice to meet you all!“, she greeted the class, never once wiping that smile off of her face.

_Oh my god, it is._

Iishiro could not believe what he was seeing. It was Reimi. The same girl who lived in Shibuya, but ended up in Shinjuku _by some miracle._ The same girl who ran alongside him like the devil was chasing them to school that morning. _Oh my god it was the same Reimi._

Iishiro must have been staring at her for a solid 30 seconds. Reimi and him, however, made eye contact. Piercing golden yellow met deep, dark brown and the eye contact was left unbroken for a solid minute. Ms Shiromura must have noticed it, because she looked at Reimi, then at Iishiro, then back at Reimi, before saying „Well, there's an empty seat next to Shirosaki-kun, please take a seat!“ Reimi nodded towards her, and slowly made her way over to the seat. Once she got herself settled in, she leaned over to Iishiro. „We just keep bumping into each other, don't we?“, she asked. „Yeah“, Iishiro replied stoically.

**_23/05 – After School, Aoyama-Itchome_ **

The day had flown by rather quickly. Before Iishiro knew it, school was over and it was time to return home.

...That is, until the people he considered to be his best friends invited him to Big Bang Burger. Of course, it's not that the invite by itself was bad news, no, no, no... What they actually _meant_ by it was, however, _extremely bad news._

The Phantom Thieves usually never meet casually unless one of them found something on the Nav.

But, that was impossible, they'd _just_ changed someone's heart last month! Wait... Is it even possible for Palaces to generate that quickly?! On second thought, this _is_ people's distorted desires we're talking about. However, there was one other thing... Maybe the Phantom Thieves really _did_ just want to have a casual meeting for once. Iishiro was clearly worried over this.

He felt someone nudge him in the side. The person that nudged him was about his height, in a Shujin uniform much like Iishiro's. This was Hakyuu „Haku“ Shirota, the newest member of the Phantom Thieves, as well as one of the people Iishiro would consider as his best friends. 

_Hakyuu „Haku“ Shirota || The newest member of the Phantom Thieves. He's got a very upbeat personality, and is a part of the newly reformed Shujin Track Team. He's been with the Thieves ever since they changed the heart of Mr Suzume, the (former) Math teacher and known blackmailer. Haku looks frighteningly similar to Iishiro, down to the ghostly pale skin and baby blonde hair. The other Thieves (ironically) joke that he and Iishiro are secretly related because of their looks, though upon closer inspection, the two are as different as could be. Haku's eyes are of a different shape than Iishiro's, and his hair is parted differently. His code name is Ace._

_Confidant: Haku Shirota; Rank 3; Chariot_

„Hey, Leader, you okay?“, Haku asked, concerned. „Oh, it's nothing“; Iishiro replied. _Except for the fact that I have no idea why you invited me out for burgers_ , Iishiro finished his thought. The group eventually made it to the restaurant, and got themselves seated near the corner, in a booth big enough for all of them.

„Okay, now, tell me, why are we all here right now?“, Iishiro asked, getting a bit impatient, „We've never met outside of school like this, I'm getting worried.“ The rest of the Thieves looked at him like he had grown a second head. Silence reigned. „What?“, Iishiro finally asked. „...Aren't you assuming things a bit too quickly?“, Futaro—the Thieves' brawn and support—asked, „I mean, the last mission _was_ our first one.“

_Futaro Shirayuri || The second ever member of the Phantom Thieves. The group of vigilantes came to be after Iishiro and Futaro accidentally stumbled into Mr Suzume's palace. Futaro, like Iishiro and Haku, shares the other two's looks, pale skin, very light blonde hair and dark eyes, though, again, with certain differences to him as well. Futaro is usually fairly calm and composed, but will not hesitate to strike, and strike viciously, if necessary. His code name is Knight._

_Confidant: Futaro Shirayuri; Rank 5; Strength_

„True that“, Iishiro muttered, „Sorry, I guess we still need to get used to the whole „Metaverse“ thing.“ „Excuse me, may I get a word in?“, Shiba—the Thieves' strategist—asked, „I noticed something important earlier, but you lot were busy talking, so I hadn't the heart to interrupt.“

_Shiba Shiraoka || The Thieves' strategist. He's also the person that tipped them off to mr Suzume. Shiba follows the pale skin, light blonde hair, dark eyes trend that all the other Thieves seem to have. He ended up becoming a Phantom Thief after demanding to join them in the Metaverse. Shiba wanted to say a few things to mr Suzume's face, but was scared to death of being expelled in the real world. His code name is Rogue._

_Confidant: Shiba Shiraoka; Rank 5; Hierophant_

Silence befell the table. „Well, what is it! Spill the beans, dude!“, Haku stood up in his seat and slammed his fists on the table, demanding an explanation for this. Shiba rolled his eyes. „Alright, alright, compose yourselves“, he said, taking out his phone. He opened the Nav, and, to the horror of the other Phantom Thieves, it was clear that there was a Palace nearby. _Wonderful._

Silence reigned once again. „Shiba“, Iishiro said calmly, „Why the _hell_ did you not tell us sooner?“ A bead of sweat rolled down the side of Shiba's forehead. „I, uh....“, he tugged nervously at his shirt's collar, „I didn't want to interrupt your conversation?“

 _> Understandable_  
**> Who cares about that?!**  
> ....

„Who cares about that?!“, Iishiro said, frustrated, „This is _FAR_ more important than whatever we were talking about!“ Shiba gulped. „Sorry“; he muttered. „No, it's fine“; Iishiro sighed, „Just... be more careful next time, okay?“ „Got it“, Shiba replied. „Anyways, we've gotta find out whose Palace the Nav detected. Any clues?“, Haku asked, turning the conversation towards the Palace. The other Thieves looked at each other, before shaking their heads in unison. „Damn... We've gotta revisit this topic later“, Iishiro muttered, „Still, I had no idea that a Palace could generate so quickly.“

The Phantom Thieves continued with their lunch in silence.

**_23/05 – After School, Aoyama-Itchome_ **

Reimi walked around the school, trying her hardest to find her way out. The school was still like a maze to her. Dead ends, multiple classrooms, and the students weren't that helpful either. She contemplated looking to the all mighty Google Maps for help, but figured Google didn't make a guide for the inside of a high school. And it got MUCH worse when she went upstairs to the third floor, looking for her _senpai_. She passed by the library, and the faculty office and somehow found herself walking around the courtyard.

She had made three laps around it, looking for the exit, when she heard some voices near the back entrance.

_„Listen, Shiromura, I'm not going to ask you again. I know you have the money. Or would you rather let me spread the photos?“ „N-no, ma'am, but please...“_

Shiromura...? Wait, was someone threatening Ms Shiromura?? Reimi slowly approached the source.

_„Cut the bullcrap, Hanae! I know what you've been doing! After all, a teacher's salary isn't enough, is it?“ „I already told you! I can't give you the money at school!  Also, that is NOT what I've been doing, please keep it down! The students will—„ „ALL OF YOUR FUCKING STUDENTS HAVE GONE HOME! GIVE ME THE MONEY, OR THINGS WILL GET UGLY!“_

Reimi was hiding behind a wall, watching the scene unfold in front of her. What she saw was what appeared to be Ms Shiromura arguing with a woman very similar to her in build. The woman seemed to be dressed rather fancily. She had dyed yellow (note: not blonde, neon yellow) hair that fell down her upper back in curls. The dress she was wearing was puffy, ripped in some places. Reimi couldn't really see her face, but she could tell that the woman was already loosing her patience.

„Sachiko, listen“, Ms Shiromura sighed, „I can't give you the money right now. I can try later, but—„ The woman to whom Ms Shiromura referred to as Sachiko slammed her fist against the wall which Ms Shiromura was leaning on. „ENOUGH! YOU WILL EITHER GIVE ME THE MONEY RIGHT HERE, RIGHT NOW, OR I SWEAR TO GOD I WILL—„

Reimi heard a branch snap beneath her foot. She felt her heart sink as Sachiko and Ms Shiromura turned to face the wall she was hiding behind. Reimi froze. She wanted to run, but her feet were firmly planted into the ground. _Oh god oh god oh god, run, Reimi, run you fool!_ She was mentally screaming at herself for a solid 10 seconds, before she finally managed to get her legs to move, and she took off running. However, she wasn't fast enough.

Reimi felt a strong yank on her hair, before being thrown and pinned to the dirty ground. She was staring right at the woman who was harassing her homeroom teacher. The woman's eyes were thin, and their corners pointed upwards. She seemed to be wearing heavy eyeliner, and her nose was way too small for it to be natural. Her lips were thin, pale, almost the same shade as her skin.

The woman huffed in annoyance. „Well, looks like we've got an unwanted pair of ears“, she muttered, „What do you think, Hanae? Would you get fired for letting a student die under your watch?“ Reimi felt her heart sink. She almost started crying. She felt the tears burrowing their way out onto the surface of her eyes. „Leave her alone, Abe-san“, Ms Shiromura said calmly, approaching the woman, „She has nothing to do with this.“ The woman narrowed her eyes at Ms Shiromura, before turning back to face Reimi.

The woman pulled her up by her hair, and whispered into her ear, „I'll let it slide today, but next time, you might just lose that pretty little head of yours.“ The woman then threw Reimi onto the ground again, before turning back to Ms Shiromura. „And as for you, Hanae, I'd better see my money by mid June“, Sachiko muttered. Ms Shiromura could do nothing but sigh in defeat. „O-of course...“, she paused, „...Abe-sama.“ Sachiko smiled, patting Ms Shiromura's cheek. „Now that's more like it!“

Once Sachiko left, silence took over the courtyard. Reimi and Ms Shiromura were left staring at each other in complete silence. Reimi slowly stood up from the dirt. Ms Shiromura looked up. „You're bleeding“, she commented, before taking Reimi by the arm, „Come on, let's get you patched up.“

Once the two arrived to the faculty office, Ms Shiromura was very careful to clean Reimi's wound thoroughly. Although the rubbing alcohol stung at first, Reimi had no strength left to complain. She was relieved that ms Shiromura hadn't let her die. _Good lord, she saved my life_ , Reimi thought, _I need to make it up to her. I have to._ Once the cleaning was done, ms Shiromura gently pressed a large bandage over the wound on Reimi's cheek. Silence reigned. _Jeez, Reimi, why are you so quiet?! This woman literally just saved your life, the least you should give her is a thanks or something!_ Reimi's vision began to blur, as her eyes filled with tears. Reimi started wiping every last one of them away, but to no avail.

Ms Shiromura had a mortified look on her face. She gently put her hand on Reimi's shoulder. „Hey, hey, hey, it's alright, I know it hurts, don't cry—„ Reimi threw herself onto her homeroom teacher, pulling her into a hug. „Thank you...“, Reimi whispered in between sobs, „You saved my life.“ Silence reigned again. Ms Shiromura returned the favor, enveloping the student in a warm, motherly bear hug. „I'm sorry you got wrapped up in this, Akegawa-chan.“

 _> Don't be sorry._  
**> _I should be the one apologizing_**  
_ > All is forgiven._

„I should be the one apologizing“, Reimi muttered, „I stuck my nose where it didn't belong, and now we're both in trouble.“ Ms Shiromura pulled away from the hug, and looked at Reimi straight in the eyes. „Don't let me hear you say that ever again“, she said sternly, „It's my fault for being in this mess in the first place. And I can't get out of it.“ Reimi blinked. „Have you tried?“ „Of course I have“, Ms Shiromura replied, voice shaking, „But god damn it all to hell, Sachiko Abe will get what she wants and she doesn't give two da—„

„Sachiko Abe?“, Reimi interrupted, „Is that what her name is?“ Silence reigned. „Reimi. Reimi, I know what you're thinking, and I'll tell you right now, going to the police is pointless. Believe me, I tried“, Ms Shiromura firmly grasped Reimi's shoulders, „They can't do anything about someone who's practically invisible to the law.“ „Maybe the police can't help, but... what about that Phantom Thief thing everyone's talking about online?“, Reimi muttered. Silence befell the room once again. „Miss Akegawa, you can't be serious“, Ms Shiromura said blankly, „The only proof we have of them is that incident with mr Suzume, a former teacher at this school, and even with that under their belt, I'm not sure if it's wise to talk about it publicly on an online forum the likes of the Phan-site.“ Reimi looked down at the floor, her head pensive. „You're right“, she muttered, standing up from her seat, „I'm sorry, I've taken up too much of your valuable free time, I should get home“, she paused, „Thank you for treating my wound, I'll find a way to make it up to you.“

With one last bow, Reimi left the room, and found her way to Shibuya somehow.

**_24/05 – Early Morning, Shibuya Station_ **

From the corner of his eye, Iishiro thought he saw someone familiar.

His suspicions were only confirmed when he turned to see who it was. Upon seeing the familiar head of red hair, the familiar crescent-shaped cowlick sticking up from it, and the same golden-yellow eyes, Iishiro knew who he saw.

„Ah, Reimi!“, he called out to her.

This seemed to catch the girl's attention. She turned to face him, and waved with a smile, before walking over.

However, as she got closer, Iishiro saw something else on her face. A bandage on the left side of her cheek. Iishiro felt his heart sink. He couldn't help but worry for the girl. I mean, for the love of god, she lives in Shibuya, and yet yesterday, she somehow ended up in Shinjuku. Not only that, but she was a transfer student. _A transfer student. In Shujin._ Sure, the titular academy had been the closest school to her, but it's a very unpopular choice. And ever since some other kid with a _criminal record_ ended up in the school a while back, people were suspicious of transfer students.

„Reimi, if I may ask...“, he looked at her in the eyes, „How did you get that injury on your cheek? Is someone bothering you?“ Reimi seemed to tense up at the question. This did not make Iishiro worry any less. „A-ah, no“, Reimi looked down at the floor, „O-of course not, Iishiro-san.“ Iishiro was now even more worried than before. Something was _definitely_ up. „Are you sure?“, he asked, worried. „I'm... I'm sure“, Reimi stuttered, „A-anyways! Nice weather today, huh?“

**_24/05 – Lunchtime, Aoyama-Itchome_ **

Iishiro was currently not a fan of his predicament. Not only did he have to miss out on lunch with his team, he also had to stay and listen to the gossip of one Daiki Kimura.

_Daiki Kimura || Also known as „The Green Boy With A Camera“, Daiki is the main source of the school's gossip. He knows everything about everyone. He knows that Iishiro is a Phantom Thief. Not to mention, Daiki's the one who set up the Phan site in the first place. If the Phantom Thieves need a target or the target's face, it's likely that Daiki will have a photo._

_Confidant: School gossiper; Rank 4; Devil_

„Kimura, look, I'll make it quick“, Iishiro finally spoke up, „yesterday, one of our members' Nav reacted to a Palace. We have no ideas whose it might be, and we'd like to see if you know anything.“

Daiki looked at the Leader of the Phantom Thieves with a sly grin on his face. „My, my“, Daiki mused, „I didn't think you'd come to me asking for help.“ The black-haired boy in a green undershirt leaned forward. Iishiro sighed. „Trust me, Kimura, I'd rather be outside, having lunch with my friends than be stuck in a broom closet with you until you decide to spill something.“ Daiki couldn't help but laugh at that. „Alright, alright“, he muttered, „Besides, I think I have something you'd like...“ He pulled out a mugshot of a woman with dyed yellow hair in pigtails. „This, right here, is one **Sachiko Abe.** “, he explained, „She's a mafia boss who practically owns **all of Shibuya**. Recently, I've had the pleasure of catching her in the act of blackmailing your homeroom teacher, ms Hanae Shiromura.“ He pulled out his phone, and swiped through the images of Sachiko and the aforementioned homeroom teacher.

„Not to mention,“ Daiki added, „That this Sachiko lady recently attacked the new transfer student.“ He then swiped to the picture which showed Abe pinning Reimi to the ground, the latter's cheek clearly bleeding from the force applied. Iishiro felt his heart sink. Why didn't Reimi say anything, though?! Well, Reimi _does_ live in Shibuya, Abe's territory. Finally, all the pieces started falling into place. Reimi's injury, why she stiffened up at the question... She's probably being blackmailed by Abe, too. Silence reigned. On cue, Daiki turned his phone off, and left the supply closet.

**_24/05 – After School, Shibuya_ **

„What'd he say her name was?“

The other Phantom Thieves looked at Haku in annoyance. „For the last time, it was Sachiko Abe“, Shiba replied, pinching the bridge of his nose.

_[Match found.]_

All the Phantom Thieves turned to look at the source of the sound. Iishiro took out his phone out of his pocket, only to see that the Nav had activated. The screen of his phone showed a red-tinted map of Shibuya, with a symbol of a black eye on a red background in the corner of the screen. Blocking the mid-section of the map was a search tab, looking similar to the search bar on Google, and under it was a sound detector of sorts, bouncing up and down as the Thieves spoke.

It seemed to react to Sachiko Abe's name. _Great, now what else do we need to say?_

„Wait, THAT'S the Palace Shiba saw yesterday?!“, Haku exclaimed in realization. Iishiro was quick to shush him. „Will you quiet down?! There's other people around, you know?“ „Yeah, yeah, I'm aware!“, Haku replied, rubbing the back of his neck, „Sorry.“ Iishiro rolled his eyes. „Alright, now we just need the place and the keyword“, Shiba commented, „For the place, could it be Shujin Academy?“

_[Match not found.]_

„Guess not“, Futaro muttered, „If it's not Shujin, it could be one of the surrounding areas, though, so... The Underground Mall, maybe?“, he suggested.

_[Match not found.]_

„Guess that's not it, either“, Iishiro commented. „Damn, we're never going to get close to figuring out where the Palace is!“, Haku sighed in frustration. Shiba pinched the bridge of his nose, sighing. „Patience, we just need to think“, he said, his voice muffled by his hand. This is when Iishiro felt dread crawl up his back. He looked down at the Nav, wide-eyed, before muttering, „Is it... all of Shibuya?“

And, to his horror...

_[Match found.]_

The other Thieves stared in stunned silence. They all heard those words. _All of Shibuya. The whole neighborhood is an effing Palace._ Well, it made sense, what, with something like Mementos existing, it wasn't completely out of the question for an entire neighborhood to be a Palace. „Damn...“, Haku muttered, „...Can it really do that?“, he asked. „Well, it's not... out of the question“, Shiba replied, a bit unsure himself. „That aside, we need a keyword next... What would it be, though?“, Futaro muttered in thought.

„Well, it can't be that hard“, Haku commented, „I mean, from what our leader told us, this Sachiko lady is a greedy brat, so there's no reason to not assume she perceives herself as a princess or some shit. Maybe we could try that?“

_[Match not found.]_

„Guess not. Maybe a higher title, like... I don't know, a queen?“, Haku suggested.

_[Match not found.]_

Silence reigned. „...Empress?“, Haku tried once again, but...

_[Match not found.]_

„Damn“, he muttered.

„Jeez, you'd think a **money-laundering** spoiled brat would be easy to guess“, Futaro commented.

_[Match found.]_

The Phantom Thieves jumped back in surprise. „Wait, what'd I say?“, Futaro asked, panicking. Iishiro looked down at the Nav's search history. „Huh. Money-laundering had a hit“, he commented, turning his phone towards the other Thieves so that they could see it. „Well, that's fine and dandy, but what does she see Shibuya as?“, Futaro asked, squinting. „Well, since it has to do with money, I'd say a bank“, Haku suggested.

_[Match not found.]_

„Perhaps not...“, Shiba muttered, „A castle, maybe?“

_[Match not found.]_

„Okay, maybe she sees all her customers as slaves, so...“, Iishiro leaned into his phone, „ **A dungeon**?“

_[Beginning navigation. Sachiko Abe... Shibuya... money-laundering... dungeon.]_

**_24/05 – After School, Shibuya_ **

„Where is it?!“, Reimi panicked, running around Central Street, left and right. „Just when I thought I'd get through a day without getting lost...“, she muttered. She ran around the city, asking everyone she came across for directions. It only ended up confusing her more, however. Eventually, she found herself in a street near Big Bang Burger. She could see the restaurant chain's gigantic logo smiling down at her. A cute-looking burger with big, sparkly eyes.

Reimi sighed. „I'm never going to find my way home, am I?“, she muttered. As she turned around, she felt a sharp pain in her head. She stumbled, placing a hand on her forehead. „Ouch...“, she muttered. _Maybe I'm just tired,_ she thought. And that is when she decided to look up again for the first time.

She was still in Shibuya, but something seemed... off. The sky was much darker, and the tall buildings which looked like glass giants before now looked like brick walls. The whole street looked like a dark, eerie hallway, with moss along the walls. As she continued forward, she began noticing some chains strapped to the wall, and the sounds of various people's cries through the walls. She gulped.

„Wh... What is going on here?“, she stuttered, shaking like a leaf. Footsteps began echoing. Realizing they were coming from behind her, Reimi let out a blood-curdling scream, before running forward. „AAAH! I'M SORRY, I'M SORRY, I DIDN'T MEAN TO INTRUDE!“, she was screaming, while her legs carried her far away from where she had been standing. Eventually, she entered a room, shaking, and out of breath. She leaned against the door, with a _thump_ sound as her back hit the wood, and slid down it, until she was sitting on the cold, brick floor.

She was breathing heavily, sweating bullets, and muttering to herself. „Okay, okay, okay, okay...“, she kept repeating, „Calm down, Reimi, calm down... You just took a wrong turn, you have to retrace your steps and go back! O-or you can ask someone else for directions“, she muttered to herself. Reimi was so engrossed in her thoughts, that she hadn't even noticed the movement in the corner of the room. By the time she noticed it, however, a black, liquid figure crawled out from under one of the desks in the room.

Reimi's heart sank. She knew she was done for. She knew this would be the end of her. With her back turned to the door, she fumbled with the door knob for a while, before finally managing to open the door. Without a second to spare, Reimi booked it down the hall so fast that dust rose up behind her. Yet, somehow, the weird creature was able to keep up with her.

Eventually, Reimi was met with a dead end. She pressed her back against the wall, unable to do anything but look on in abject horror. The creature came closer, and closer... At this point, Reimi thought there was no escape. Until...

_„DIE, SHADOW!“_

What Reimi saw next were blue flames surrounding a familiar-looking figure, as what looked like knives cut through the creature that was chasing her. The blue flames eventually subsided, and the creature's body finally seemed to react to being literally sliced in half. The creature exploded in a cloud of pitch-black dust, as Reimi's savior turned their back on her, before pressing a weird apparatus in their ear.

„White speaking“, her savior was obviously male, judging by the voice, „Something seems to have stirred the Shadows on my end.“

Reimi took a moment to examine her savior. He was tall—well, taller than her, anyway—he was wearing a black coat over what looked like a white jumpsuit. He had weird-looking straps on his arms, which Reimi pretty quickly noticed were knives in their sockets, strapped to the jumpsuit. The boy was also very muscular, yet he looked to be around her age. He had bleached blonde hair, and, even with what looked like a black mask on, looked... frighteningly familiar.

„Of course I heard the scream, if there was someone in the European Metaverse, they would have heard it, too, 100%!“, the boy seemed to be arguing with someone on the other line, though Reimi couldn't hear the other speaker's voice. „I _know_ that's not how the Metaverse works, what kind of simpleton do you take me for?!“, the boy shouted at the other speaker, before pausing, and continuing, „Jeez, sorry, I don't know where the hell _that_ came from...“ „...Iishiro-san? Is that you?!“, Reimi finally found her voice.

On cue, the boy turned around to face Reimi, who was sitting down on the dirty ground, still reeling from what just happened. A dark shadow fell over his eyes, though it wasn't really noticeable, thanks to his black mask. The two stared in stunned silence for a few seconds, almost as if they were mentally apologizing to each other, before a voice shouted out of the boy's ear piece: _„Yooo! Earth to White! Everything okay back there?!“_

The boy—whose nickname, Reimi found out, was White—tapped onto his ear piece gently, before saying in an _obviously forced_ calm manner, „Ace, tell the Phantom Thieves to meet me at the safe room. Right. Now.“

**_24/05—After School, Sachiko Abe's Palace_ **

It would be an understatement to say that Iishiro was disappointed.

No, I think it's more accurate to say that he was pissed.

Actually, that's an understatement, too.

No, Iishiro was _furious._ Furious at whoever had forgotten to check before they used the Nav. He realized that he was partially to blame, since they had used HIS phone to get into the Palace, but the Thieves had already said that they would try to get into the Palace today. And he had the chat log to prove it.

The Thieves were currently sitting at a table in a Safe Room, with all the doors locked and all other openings closed. The Thieves were gathered on one end of the table, while Reimi Akegawa, who had accidentally wandered into the Metaverse not too long ago, sat on the opposite end. Beside her was a _very pissed off_ Iishiro.

Reimi must've felt _really_ awkward about this. Hell, Iishiro would, too, if someone he thought was an okay person turned out to be a wanted effing criminal. Not only that, but Reimi stumbled her way into the Metaverse _by some miracle._

 ** _> Explanations. Now._**  
> _Why is one Reimi Akegawa here?_  
_ > What did we say about checking for witnesses before entering Palaces?_

„Explanations. Now“, Iishiro demanded. The words slipped out of his mouth, cold and acidic, like snake venom, infecting the other Thieves with fear. The Thieves, naturally, feared their Leader. However, that was usually fear out of trust. In this case, it was nothing but pure, icy fear that jabbed at their hearts like a dagger. They fucked up. And they knew it.

„Um...“, Haku took the lead, „We may or may not have... forgotten to check for witnesses“, he admitted, sighing in defeat. Shiba, however, had something to say to that, „Wait, hold on, you may not have checked, but I did, and there was no one around, at least as far as I was aware“, he stated matter-of-factly. Iishiro raised an eyebrow to that. „Oh really?“, he asked, „Do continue.“ Aaaand there was the cold atmosphere from earlier. _Great._ „Wh-what if that's not how this Metaverse thing works?!“, Futaro interjected, hoping to break the ice.

Lo and behold, he did. „...I... What?“, Iishiro asked, now more confused rather than angry. „I mean, come on“, Haku replied, „We've been to mr Suzume's Palace multiple times, and yet, not only were _we_ the only ones who entered, but every time we did, there's been multiple people around, behind corners and such, and yet none of them got sucked in!“ Silence reigned. „...Haku, I can't believe I'm saying this, but I think you might be onto something“, Shiba stated, deep in thought.

„Hold on, I'm still in the dark about this!“, Reimi exclaimed, „Palace? Metaverse? What's going on?!“ All eyes turned to her. Iishiro looked at the other Thieves for help, only to see them giving him the same look, along with Futaro mouthing _„She knows“_ or something along those lines. Iishiro sighed, before turning to face Reimi, and, as he looked her straight in the eyes, he lifted his mask, revealing his face.

Silence befell the room. „...So, it really IS you, Iishiro-san?“, Reimi asked rethorically, looking down at the ground.

 _> Yeah... Sorry_  
**> You look disappointed**  
> _Are you alright?_

„You look disappointed“, Iishiro noticed. Reimi nearly jumped out of her seat. „O-oh, no, no, no!“, she reassured him, „I'm just... in shock, is all.“ She paused. „I-I mean, you don't get to find out that the guy who showed you the way to school is a Phantom Thief“, she continued, smiling solemnly. Silence reigned. „Wait, how did you—„ „People at school talk about you guys a lot. They say all sorts of mean things, but I don't think you guys are that bad“, she looked up at them, smiling, „After all, you've already helped me so much.“

Iishiro looked at the other Thieves, and at that moment, a decision had been made. _We must protect this girl no matter what._ „A-anyways, if you don't mind, I would like an explanation on all of this“, Reimi stated. „Ah, sorry about that“, Iishiro apologized, „Now, Reimi, this might get a bit confusing...“

**_24/05 – After school, Sachiko Abe's Palace_ **

„Tell me again why you had to give her a potato cannon?“

Iishiro gestured towards Reimi, who was following behind the Thieves, holding a white apparatus that looked like a leafblower. This was the potato cannon in question. A makeshift weapon that—for whatever reason—Haku carried everywhere. On the bright side, it could have been worse. Haku could have given her a chainsaw.

The infamous potato cannon was still a complete mystery to Iishiro. He didn't know why Haku made it, _how_ Haku made it, or _what_ Haku used to make it, and at this point, he was too afraid to ask. Iishiro still remembered the first Palace he visited, mr Suzume's Palace. He had already recruited Shiba and Futaro, and Haku came along because he got sucked into the Nav. Thankfully, Haku had been a master at improvised weaponry. He still is, but god damn it, Iishiro would be lying to himself if he said Haku's weapons weren't weird.

„Hey, I had no other spare weapon on me, give me a break“, Haku defended himself, „Besides, she's strong, she can handle a little potato cannon.“ „I know that, but did you give her any potatoes for said potato cannon?“, Iishiro asked. Haku's face went blank. „One moment“, he said, as he went over to Reimi, and handed her a bag of potatoes. This was going to go horribly, horribly wrong in one way or another.

The Thieves eventually reached a large, wooden door with brass knockers. The door itself had evidence of wear and tear, almost as if it stood there for a long time. Given that this is a Palace, Iishiro really shouldn't be surprised. Iishiro took in a deep breath, before taking a step back and rushing right at the door, slamming his shoulder into it, causing it to open.

The room on the other side, however, was... indescribable. It looked like the safe rooms the Thieves had been in, with brick walls covered in moss, but it was much, _much_ larger. There were various shelves on the walls, and each one had a different selection of... tools. Whips, metal rods, rope... _Oh. Oh god._ „...Oh that's just  _wonderful..._ “, Iishiro muttered in exasperation.

„Wh- where are we?“, Reimi asked, shaking like a leaf. „Reimi, I'd advise you to run“, Iishiro stated, „We're in an area with stronger Shadows and you only have a potato cannon.“ „Actually, I think she might be good, that potato cannon is pretty destructive“, Haku interjected, though he quickly shut himself down after Iishiro shot him a disapproving glare. „Reimi, run, you have a weapon if anything starts chasing you“, Iishiro repeated. „I'm not leaving you guys!“, Reimi said, determined, „You've already saved me, I might as well return the favor!“

„ _That might be a bad choice, little girl..._ “

**_24/05 – After School, Sachiko Abe's Palace?_ **

_„That might be a bad choice, little girl“_

Reimi heard the doors behind her and the Thieves close with a _slam_. She gulped, gripping the potato cannon given to her tighter. _Deep breaths, Reimi, it's okay_ , she thought to herself, furrowing her brows, her face forming a determined stare, _you can do this._ She turned to the source of the voice from before, only to see a steel throne, upon which sat a woman with dyed yellow curly hair. _Sachiko Abe, the blackmailing, money-laundering brat who thinks she owns everyone and everything._

Reimi felt an anger unlike she'd ever felt before brewing inside her. Anger was a bit of an understatement. Fury? Oh yes, that was the word. Reimi was completely and utterly furious at the woman. _Who died and made her empress of Japan?!_ , she thought, pointing the potato cannon upwards, ready to fire. Her hands were shaking, and her eye was twitching in anger. She could hear Iishiro telling her to run, but she ignored him, her attention now focused on the woman who was possibly literally getting off of ruining other people's lives.

„Oh, it's you“, Sachiko—or at least the woman who appeared to be Sachiko—walked down from her steel throne, showcasing a steady pace, as her boot heels clicked against the brick floor and the backside of her puffed-up skirt dragged behind her. With every step, Reimi's fury grew and grew, until she finally couldn't hold it back any longer. She pointed the potato cannon at Sachiko. „Reimi, don't! If you manage to shoot her, she will—„ but it was too late. Reimi had already pulled the trigger.

However, the flying potato didn't hit the money-grubber like Reimi had planned. Oh no. Instead, Sachiko dodged the flying piece of starch as it hit the wall behind her with a _splat_. Reimi felt her heart sink. All that anger that was building up had fallen flat on its face and was replaced with pure and utter terror, as she watched Sachiko frown from where she was standing. „Oh my...“, Sachiko spoke, „What a rude and rowdy guest!“

In a flash, Reimi found herself in Sachiko's grip, pinned by the neck against the wall, as she dropped the potato cannon, making a cluttering sound. Instinctively, she grabbed onto the woman's arm with her two hands, gripping it tightly. She tried to speak, but all she managed were gasps for air. She looked to the Phantom Thieves for help, but they had been jumped by the monsters that looked like the one from before. Reimi could do nothing but struggle for her life as Sachiko _laughed_. _Reimi could do nothing but watch as that blackmailing skank laughed in her face._

_„Are you really going to let her laugh in your face?“_

Reimi froze. She recognized that voice. She didn't know whose voice it was, but it was familiar. She gulped.

_„Why do you act like a prisoner of fortune? You know you can change it. Nothing except death is absolute, my dear.“_

Reimi was hyperventilating at this point, trying to let in as much oxygen as she needed. She was legitimately scared. No, not scared... disappointed. In herself, none the less. The Thieves, they were doing their best, while she, herself, was just sitting here, playing the damsel in distress once again.

_„You suck at certain things. You and I both know this. But the one thing you haven't been awful at was upholding your promises. You have a promise to keep, too, no?“_

The voice was right. Reimi stopped struggling, losing the grip on Sachiko's arm. She gritted her teeth, before finally breaking the silence. „...Hey, Sachiko“, she called out weakly. The woman in question smirked. „Yes, what is it?“, she asked. Reimi lifted her head, making direct eye contact with the woman. „ _Fuck you_ “, Reimi stated coldly, her brows furrowed and her mouth twisted in a furious scowl.

Time seemed to stand still. The Shadows and the Phantom Thieves stopped what they were doing. Silence rang throughout the room. Sachiko stared blankly at the redhead before twisting her mouth in a hideous sneer. „You desire to be killed _that much_?!“, the woman asked. Reimi said nothing. „Fine! I've wanted to murder your skanky ass for a while anyways!“, Sachiko suddenly let go of the girl, as Reimi hit the floor with a _thud._

To the shock of everyone in the room, however, Reimi slowly but surely stood up, her head still pensive. She shook her head, shaking off the pain from hitting the brick floor.

_„Now, child, rip off the mask that shields you! Reach out for your new destiny!“_

Reimi looked up, only to discover that her vision had gone light red. Note: not pink, light red. She grasped at her face, feeling something... hard. Like glass or plastic. As she felt around more, she noticed that there were more parts to whatever shielded her vision. Particularly, around her ears. Rounded, smooth surfaces like a pair of headphones, and from them extended metal, wing-like appendages. Reimi knew what she had to do. She grabbed the visor from the front, and pulled on it with all her might.

_„That's right, child! Rip it off! Rip it off and break it! **I am thou, Thou art I!** “_

Reimi pulled hard once again, finally ripping off the visor from her eyes with a bone-chilling scream as blood splashed out from where the visor laid. „Now, come to me“, she muttered, „...Pythia.“ She watched as her vision went red, then blue, and then black.

**_24/05 – After School, Sachiko Abe's Palace_ **

Iishiro watched as Reimi was enveloped in blue flames like a cocoon enveloping a butterfly. He knew what this was. He smirked. Thank god, too, it was getting a bit hard for the Thieves, fighting all these shadows by themselves.

**_24/05 –After School, Sachiko Abe's Palace_ **

Reimi opened her eyes again. Her ears were ringing, and the wind had been knocked out of her, but she didn't care. The adrenaline was still rushing through her veins, and she felt a tingling sensation in every part of her body. She looked around. She appeared to be standing on a round, concave surface. It appeared to be red in color, but Reimi couldn't tell from all the blue flames that hadn't yet cleared. She looked up right at Sachiko again, blinded with with adrenaline coursing through her.

„You've lived off of ruining others' lives...“, Reimi muttered, a dark expression on her face, „But I won't let you ruin the life of the woman who saved mine!“, she shouted, pointing at the woman. As if on cue, she saw two round objects fly down from where Reimi was to the Shadows that the Phantom Thieves were fighting. The objects flew around them, before casting a net-like light upon the Shadows, and returning to Reimi afterwards.

Though Reimi couldn't see where they went, she was surprised by what popped up in front of her next. A screen materialized into existence right in front of Reimi's face. It was see-through, red in color. It displayed a picture of the type of Shadow that the Thieves were fighting. _Hua Po – Hanged Man—Weak: gun, ice—Reflect: fire_

Reimi smirked. „Iishi—White! Tell the others to ready their guns, those things are near powerless against 'em!“, she stated, „Do you hear me?“ „ _We hear you, loud and clear!“_ Reimi was confused by how clearly she could hear their replies. After all, they were a good ways away from her, while Reimi was also floating a little bit off the ground— _Holy cow she was floating._ Reimi pretty quickly put two and two together, realizing that the thing she was standing on had lifted her off the ground. Not only that, but a quick look around revealed that the screen in front of her was being held in place by two very large, thin golden rings.

The two round objects from before had the same golden shade, but upon closer inspection, they looked very similar to the cartoonish portrayal of eyeballs, with one large, black lens in each of the objects. Cameras. _That must be how they got info on the Shadows._

Reimi watched as the Phantom Thieves defeated the Shadows with ease. But, alas, they were not done yet, as they then turned their attention to Sachiko—god damn it, she's gone. It took everything Reimi had, all the composure left in her **_not_** to scream out _„ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!“_ at the top of her lungs. Instead, she settled for muttering „Damn it!“ under her breath, before she hopped down from wherever she had to be standing. It didn't take long for her to find out that her vision had gone light red again, which Reimi correctly assumed was caused by the visor reappearing.

„Reimi!“, Iishiro rushed towards her, „Are you alright, did Abe's shadow hurt you?“

 _> I'm fine, don't worry about it!_  
> _It still hurts..._  
**> _It's okay, I'll return the favor soon_**

„It's okay, I'll return the favor soon, anyway!“, Reimi replied, as she stood up, preparing to run after Sachiko's Shadow, only to fall down on one knee. She tried to stand up again, but fell again, this time ending up down on both her knees, and using her arms to save herself from falling flat on her face. „Damn it, move, legs, move!“, she shouted, trying to stand up again, but this time, actually falling on her face. She lifted herself off the ground, using her arms as support once again and breathing heavily.

Iishiro offered her his shoulder as support. „Come on, we need to get out of here“, he said. „I'm fine, I can walk—„, Reimi tried to defend herself, only to be interrupted by Iishiro. „Reimi, listen“; he said, „You _literally just_ awakened to your power for the first time. And don't think none of us saw you falling flat on your face every time you tried to stand just now. You need rest.“ Reimi sighed in resignation. „Fine“, she muttered, leaning on the shoulder that Iishiro offered her.

**_24/05 – After School, Sachiko Abe's Palace_ **

„Yo, Leader, I hate to burst your bubble, but we gotta go!“, Haku exclaimed, „There's gonna be more Shadows around here soon.“

Iishiro merely nodded towards his teammate. And with that, the Phantom Thieves were running through the cognitive dungeon's hallways, their footsteps echoing and bouncing off the mossy walls. Despite the fact that Reimi had just awakened her persona, she was holding up pretty well. True, she had to hold onto Iishiro's shoulder lest she fall flat on her face again, but despite that, she looked better than most people after an awakening. At least, to Iishiro she did.

The scene from before rang throughout his memory. Reimi ripping off the visor that must have colored her vision, then being enveloped in blue flames, before emerging in her new „thief suit“. A crimson body suit with that Iishiro assumed were circuitry symbols all over it, lines ending in circles. Her chest, knees and shoulders were covered by armor plates, and she seemed to be wearing... either wedged heels or rollerblades, Iishiro wasn't sure.

What really surprised him, though, was Reimi's persona. Normally, he'd expect a human figure to stand up tall behind her, but instead, Reimi emerged standing on a platform that looked like a doughnut that had been squashed in the center. That wasn't it, though, as there were two gigantic, thin, golden rings floating at either side of her. He found out later—after those eyeball-looking things that were part of the girl's persona scared the living shit out of him—that those rings would arrange themselves to form a screen that Reimi could use to look up the enemy's weakness.

„So, how do we get out of here?“, Reimi finally asked, still breathing heavily from earlier. „Ah, right“, Iishiro muttered, taking out his phone and opening the Nav. „Return home!“

_[Input accepted.]_

**_24/05 – Evening, Shibuya station_ **

The Phantom Thieves had stopped in an alleyway to catch their breath. „Damn...“, Futaro muttered, „New girl's got guts!“ „Please stop talking“, Reimi whined, leaning onto the wall she was using as support. „It's true, though!“, Shiba argued, „I don't know many people who would say „fuck you“ to Sachiko Abe herself, to her face!“ It was at that point that Reimi seemed to realize something. A dark shadow fell over her eyes. „Oh my god, I cursed Sachiko Abe out to her face“, she said, grabbing the sides of her head.

Iishiro rolled his eyes at his teammates. „Don't worry about it, Reimi, that person in the Palace wasn't the real Sachiko Abe. In fact, the real one has no idea what we did in the Palace“, he reassured, her, gently placing his hand on her shoulder. „Right, I think I get it“, Reimi replied weakly, still breathing heavily. „...Do you think it's illegal to sleep in an alleyway?“, she asked, glancing up at the other Phantom Thieves. They all looked at each other, worried.

„Uh, I don't think the problem lies in the fact that it's illegal as much as the problem lies in the fact that it's dangerous“, Shiba stated, raising an eyebrow. „Seriously, dude, you look beat. One of us should probably walk you home“, Haku suggested, leaning onto the wall behind him. „Well, Shirota, you live in Shibuya, why don't _you_ walk her home?“, Futaro suggested, checking his phone. „Nah, dude, I live in Dirty Shibuya“, Haku sighed in exasperation.

„...Sorry, Dirty Shibuya?“, Reimi inquired, curious. „Red Light District“, Shiba and Futaro said in unison. „Oh“, Reimi muttered, „My condolences.“ „In my defense, it's not as bad as you might think it is most of the time. It's actually pretty chill as long as you aren't around at night“, Haku explained, „I swear to god, one time, I was returning home from school late at night, and an old lady approached me and said _„Young man, don't throw your life away like this.“_ It was weird.“

Silence reigned. „Dude, I think you met a god“, Futaro finally spoke up. The other Thieves chuckled at his response. „In all seriousness, though, who's gonna walk Akegawa home?“, Futaro asked. „I could do it“, Iishiro suggested. „A-ah, Iishiro-san, you don't have to—„, Reimi held up her hands in protest, „I can defend myself if anyone bothers me!“ „I'm not worried about that as much as I am worried about you collapsing halfway to your home“, Iishiro replied, a stern look on his face.

Reimi thought about it for a moment. She sighed. „Alright, fine“, she yielded, „But you've got to let me return the favor.“ Iishiro nodded, and offered her his shoulder as support once again. He turned to face his teammates. „You three go home, and if your parents ask, say we were at the arcade for a while“, Iishiro stated, and left with Reimi leaning on his shoulder, without even waiting for his teammates' nods of approval.

**Author's Note:**

> Well, this chapter could have looked better, but that's what I get for writing late at night, I suppose.
> 
> Feedback and (polite) critiques are highly welcome, so if there's anything you'd like to see me improve on, don't be shy to tell me!


End file.
